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Category Archives: HIking

We’re going to just go ahead and put California on a permanent wish list of places to live, and that’s where it will probably stay. Perhaps if we’d bought that old Victorian in the Haight back in 1981 for $135,000, … Continue reading →

Just about one month ago, we crossed the bridge to Astoria, Oregon from the Washington State portion of the Lewis and Clark Trail Highway – and no, it wasn’t in our imagination that the weather became misty, chilly, and very unsummer-like. Just what I’d been hoping to avoid, as one of the “our spot” criteria happens to be a “generally sunny” prospect over the course of a year. Here it was – a test for just how much flexibility I could encourage in CW, for whom “damp & chilly” has never been a welcome combination!

Nevertheless, Astoria proved to be much fun – a local brewery called Fort George (https://www.fortgeorgebrewery.com), a great local bakery and coffee shop (www.bluescorcher.com), art galleries, a fantastic Scandinavian shop (www.finnware.com), and (more than one!) wonderful independent bookstore – Lucy’s, and Godfather’s – (http://www.lucys-books.com and www.yelp.com/biz/godfatherss-books-astoria). With just under 10,000 people, the fact that Astoria supports not just one, but two local bookstores says a lot about the inquisitiveness and interests of the people who make it their home (at least I think so – and hope it’s not just that days tend to be chilly and damp, leading to many hours indoor to fill by reading!)

Lewis and Clark River

There’s a curious 125’ tall column high on a hill overlooking Astoria and the mouth of the Columbia River. The amazing spiral frieze covering the outside has a panel celebrating the Lewis & Clark Expedition – I’m sure Captains Lewis & Clark never had such a wonderful view of the landscape, nor did they enjoy their stay in the vicinity as much as we did! An excursion on another drizzly day took us to Fort Clatsop, which the Corps of Discovery built to overwinter in before their long journey home. I really love the times during this trip in which the reading, planning, thinking and talking come together in a culminating moment – as it did at Fort Clatsop, where for just a few minutes while inside the dark, damp log walls, I could picture those intrepid explorers cursing the wet weather (it rained all but 12 days of their 3-months at the fort), the endless meals of elk and deer, and perhaps the stinking smell of their forever damp and vermin-infested fur clothes. Ugh! They left for the long return home on March 23, 1806 – having not just survived but exceeded all expectations for their journey of exploration. It’s been an education following some of their trail, and relearning an important part of America’s history. Sorry if I enthuse – it’s been great!! (And I am oh so glad that our trip has included mostly dry and sunny camping.)

Astoria Column

Fort Clatsop

I loved Astoria’s funkiness, including the Fiber Arts “knit-bombing” installation, exploring the old cannery district where there are now restaurants, as well as sustainably-focused shops selling items of recycled sails and other boating-related materials. Could we live in Astoria? Probably not, but it’s definitely a place we’d like to return – hopefully, on a sunny day! “Sun” appears to be a theme for this Oregon-focused blog!

Fiber Artists Installation

Cannery Poster

Another Kind of Fish Scale!

From Astoria we made the 2-hour drive to Portland, following the Columbia River much of the way. The Pacific Northwest is stunningly beautiful – the varied greens (from bright emerald and apple green to dusky peat and mossy green), of the trees, valleys, and farms and the blues, greens, grays and browns of the rivers and lakes, highlighted against the sometimes startlingly blue sky, is breath-taking. It was with much anticipation that we arrived in Portland, a city that I have developed a crush on over the past twenty years or so. In Portland, wonderful friends from expat days in Paris hosted us, sharing superb Oregon wines, and generally acting as perfect “Portland is Your Spot” sales agents. We’ll see…

Oregon was “too good for words!” So, the following photographs illustrate many of the enticing aspects of Oregon – for it’s become a contender in the search for our spot…

And then there was the outdoors – mountains, beaches, and dunes to explore. Misty day? Didn’t matter – the hiking was a little cooler, the leaves and berries glistening just a wee bit more with the dew. We’ve been trail-snacking by foraging for berries (blackberries, mostly) – in Canada, Washington, and now Oregon. Here we found yummy, ripe salal berries on a trail to the beach, and remembered reading that the Corps of Discovery had been given “salal berry bread,” by the native tribes – we were, after all, still communing with Lewis & Clark!

Snack! Salal Berries on the Bush

Anemones

On the Dock

Stranded Jellyfish

Coastal Beauty

Driftwood

Crater Lake

CW – Leap Into Lake

There were many moments in Oregon when I felt graced to spend time in nature’s cathedrals. Oregon is beautiful. And, yes, right up there near the top of the list!

Faeries, come take me out of this dull world, For I would ride with you upon the wind, Run on the top of the dishevelled tide, And dance upon the mountains like a flame. W.B. Yeats, The Land of Heart’s … Continue reading →

Much of the drive across Wyoming was flat flat flat, with the glorious presence of vast cloud banks. I’m reading “Open Road” by Phil Patton, and he says “At 65 miles an hour, experts say, the driver sees five times as much sky as at 45. Roads are drunk with the principles of perspective.” So far, so true! We’re not home-hunting in Wyoming, but headed west for the Grand Tetons and more camping, so we we’re testing the 65 mph views (or better, as speed limits here hover around 75 mph and so the perspectives must be that much better!).

About the Clouds…

Though we’re on a local food/farm to table/craft-brewing oriented journey, we’re learning that “local” doesn’t necessarily equate to “good,” though it more than often does mean quirky or quaint, and usually “nice.” The Broken Wheel Truckstop and Restaurant was a refueling station, with a basic truckers’ breakfast (we passed up on the steak and eggs) and kind waitresses who kept pouring the coffee.

Breakfast Spot

On the other hand, sometimes local means both kind people with a mission and really really good coffee. Being “West” also means they get to have some real fun with their branding. I liked the cowboy-themed packaging of the Brown Sugar Coffee Roastery in Riverton, Wyoming (http://brownsugarcoffeeroastery.com/) and their coffees are FairTrade USA certified too! NOTE: if you’re curious about why I care about Fair Trade, check out : http://fairtradeusa.org/ for more about what Fair Trade means to the small growers and farmers around the world. Also, my earlier blog about our visit to the Fair Trade/organic farmers in India might be of interest!

Howdy, Pardner!

Primed by Brown Sugar’s coffee, and hours and hours of driving later, we gained our first view of our home (tent) for the next two nights in Grand Teton National Park. And found there was a little more snow than we’d planned on!

And then, we were off to Boise, Idaho and a wonderful weekend of wedding celebration activities! Was it the wedding and reuniting with friends, the farmers’ market and wonderful museum that gave us pause, and had us house-hunting? More on this, next time…

We haven’t yet found even one spot to add to our “settle down wish list,” but we’ve enjoyed plenty of places that are perfect for exploring! We left Yankton heading northwest across South Dakota, at first following the Missouri River, and Lewis & Clark’s journey. Hours and hours (about 4, to be more precise) we were thrilled when the formidable peaks of Badlands National Park came into view. We had a great hike that stretched the legs and let us clamber among the rocks and prairie grass as we learned about the geological forces that created the Badlands. Our first buffalo sighting of the trip, too! And then, it was on to Rapid City, for an overnight stay before our first camping foray.

Badlands Ahead

Wall Drug is a famous stop in South Dakota, with dozens of signs posted along the high way for miles and miles before you actually arrive. I was fully prepped for the 5 cent coffee by the time we arrived (and for those of you who are following my Instagram posts – the doughnut!) Wall Drug is a funky huge maze of a store, and worth a visit if you are anywhere in the area.

Wall Drug’s A’Comin!

Lassos at Wall Drug

A short overnight stay in Rapid City was the first real exploration of a possible future home…yep, but I think it was just a brief fling! Art Alley (check out the winsome blue baby at the far end of the alley) was an unexpected and fascinating discovery as we walked to Firehouse Brewery for dinner. There are also life-size sculptures of the U.S. Presidents scattered around the city for discovery.

Art Alley Rapid City, SD

Mt. Rushmore

We passed Mt. Rushmore as we drove towards Custer State Park, and it was a “rush” to see the massive sculpted heads hovering over the highway. Nope, didn’t stop by to get a closer look, truthfully – because we were so taken aback by the $11.00 parking fee that would go to a private parking concession…really?

From Mt. Rushmore we drove into Custer State Park via the Harney Peaks entrance, to camp and do a little hiking. It is beautiful – Harney Peak is South Dakota’s highest point at 7200’, and much of the rest of the park is above 5000’. The jagged, formidable looking peaks stretched to a beautiful cloud-filled sky, and we set up our tent at Central Lake for the next two nights, at 4600’. Custer State Park is home to thousands of free-range buffalo, and though it’s nothing like the herds that roamed the prairies in millions in the 1800’s, the sight of these huge, magnificent animals was awe-inspiring. And it’s calving season!

Harney Peak Area, Custer State Park

Ponderosa Pine Bark

Beauty on the Trail

Stand Off!

Buffalo weren’t the only “wildlife” we saw, as we left the park – the donkeys? mules? were pretty funny. Leaving South Dakota, we stopped in Custer at the Bitter Esters Brewhouse, and enjoyed, really really enjoyed, the Spent Grain Crust Pizza (check out my Yelp review for more), before heading on the long, straight road to Douglas, Wyoming…more on this, next time.

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